Cervejaria Ramiro is a Lisbon institution and has been favorite of locals since it opened its doors in 1956. Although named a “cervejaria” (beer house) there is much more to Ramiro than its beer offerings. This unassuming, family-owned restaurant happens to be considered one of the best seafood restaurants in the city. And it’s probably one of the few places that is known for serving a meat sandwich for desert…more about that down below.
The atmosphere at Ramiro is casual, laid back and no-frills. Due to its popularity, there is almost always a wait for a table, so keep that in mind before you go. To avoid the longest wait times you can try going at lunch time during the week, or arrive on the early side for dinner. When you arrive you will find a ticket machine that dispenses numbers; as tables become available the numbers will show up next to the door to let you know when it’s your turn. Luckily they have installed a coin-operated machine that dispenses beer in the waiting area, in case you get thirsty while you wait for your table.
The menu is filled with a wide variety of fish and seafood selections that are priced by weight (in kg.) according to how much you order. Some of the dishes offered include Garlic Clams, Garlic Shrimp, and Tiger Prawns. Some specialty dishes include the Carabineros (scarlet prawns that are sweet, salty and rich), Sapateira (a tasty stuffed crab dish), and fresh Percebes (gooseneck barnacles) that are briny and delicious.
If you want to follow the local tradition you should leave room for desert – and at Ramiro that means you will be having a Prego, which is a Portuguese steak sandwich made with thinly sliced steak, grilled garlic and spicy mustard. It may seem a bit unconventional to order a steak sandwich after consuming a seafood feast, but that’s what most people around you will be having. It’s not known if the tradition came from the notion that a sandwich will sop up all of the alcohol that people used to consume at beer houses, or that you may still be hungry after a meal of seafood. No matter what the reason, you shouldn’t miss having a prego during your stay in Portugal, and Cervejaria Ramiro is the perfect place to try one to finish off your dining experience.
- Avenida Almirante Reis 1- H
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Phone: +351 218 851 024
- Website: Cervejaria Ramiro
Photo credit: Cervejaria Ramiro
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